A Girl Who Lost Her Celebrity Crush: The Greatness That Was Paul Walker (PHOTOS)

Take a minute and think about your first celebrity crush. What kind of feeling does he or she give you? It’s a good one, isn’t it? Of course it is, because when you really acknowledge it, feelings are the only thing we truly hold on to. A giddy and mesmerizing escape.

Maya Angelou described it best with her famous quote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Paul Walker‘s family, friends and fans are all feeling deep sorrow as they mourn the loss of a talented actor, family member and a dear friend.

Paul Walker made an impact in this world through his films. His most memorable role was playing Brian O’Conner over the last decade in the popular Fast & Furious franchise series. But my first memory of this gorgeous man was at the beginning of his career, in 1999’s Varsity Blues.

He played the role of quarterback Lance Harbor and I was completely smitten. It was then that I developed my celebrity crush, watching the movie over a dozen times.

There’s a scene in the film where Paul’s character Lance gets injured during a football game. Besides the infamous beer can challenge, this single clip dramatically transformed the film’s entire chain of events.

So what was it about Paul that left us with an emptiness in our hearts? Speaking from a true fan’s perspective, I admit he touched our lives through the big screen, but what got me was that smile. A smile that could easily brighten up your worst day.

And he proudly displayed it throughout his entire career.

It wasn’t hard to see that Paul was a true gentleman as well. In 2005, Paul co-starred alongside Jessica Alba in the movie Into The Blue. As the costars promoted the film, Jessica asked Paul what it was like working with her during an interview. Although it takes him a few minutes to gather his thoughts, his genuine answer even leaves Alba in awe. It starts at the 0:31 mark below.

There’s no doubt about it. Paul was a passionate man; expressing interests in causes and charities all around the world. In this memorable 2011 interview, Walker, who studied marine-biology before becoming an actor, talked about his fascination with the sea and his visit to Chile after its devastating earthquake in 2010.

Over the years, their connection seemed effortless. When the actors weren’t in character, they shared intimate conversations with one another just like in the clip below. Paul candidly talked about a memorable encounter with a passionate fan who tattooed a special meaning on her arm dedicated to the franchise films. Vin curiously asked Paul questions about his die-hard fan in the short interview below:

Paul’s fans were indeed spontaneous to say the least, but it seems like they were also loyal. Within the past few days, countless fans displayed compassionate pictures all dedicated to the late actor: